Dendranthema plant named &#39;Sundance Igloo&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Dendranthema  plant named ‘Sundance Igloo’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant form; uniform and freely flowering habit; daisy-type inflorescences; bright yellow-colored ray florets; natural season flowering occurs about September 14 to 24 in Pennsylvania; and good garden performance and winter hardiness.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNDANCE IGLOO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Dendranthema plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a perennial garden-type Dendranthema plant, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Sundance Igloo’.

The new Dendranthema is the product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Bogota, Colombia and Smoketown, Pa. The objective of the breeding program is to create new perennial garden-type Dendranthema plants having uniformly mounding plant habit, inflorescences with desirable inflorescence forms, attractive ray and disc floret shapes and colors, winter hardiness and good garden performance.

The new Dendranthema plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventors in 2008 in Bogota, Colombia, of a proprietary seedling selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number N0012, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number H5303, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Dendranthema plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Smoketown, Pa. on Sep. 29, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Dendranthema plant by vegetative terminal cuttings was first conducted in a controlled greenhouse environment in Smoketown, Pa. in March, 2011 and such asexual propagation has shown that the unique features of this new Dendranthema plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Dendranthema have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sundance Igloo’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sundance Igloo’ as a new and distinct garden-type Dendranthema plant:

1. Upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit.

2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant form.

3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.

4. Daisy-type inflorescences.

5. Bright yellow-colored ray florets.

6. Natural season flowering occurs about September 14 to 24 in Pennsylvania.

7. Good garden performance and winter hardiness.

In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Dendranthema differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in ray floret color as plants of the female parent selection have white-colored ray florets.

In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Dendranthema differ from plants of the male parent selection primarily in ray floret color as plants of the male parent selection have white-colored ray florets. In addition, plants of the new Dendranthema are larger and flower slightly earlier than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Dendranthema can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Sizzling Igloo’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,668. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Dendranthema differ from plants of ‘Sizzling Igloo’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Dendranthema are more compact than plants of ‘Sizzling Igloo’.

2. Under low night temperatures conditions, plants of the new Dendranthema and ‘Sizzling Igloo’ differ in ray flower color as plants of ‘Sizzling Igloo’ will “pink” whereas plants of the new Dendranthema will retain their bright yellow ray floret coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Dendranthema showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Dendranthema plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sundance Igloo’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sundance Igloo’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the early autumn in 25-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Lancaster, Pa. and under cultural practices typical of commercial garden-type Dendranthema production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 26.7° C. and night temperatures ranged from 15.6° C. to 18.3° C. Plants were five months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Sundance Igloo’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number N0012,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number H5303,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About two weeks.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial garden-type Dendranthema             plant with daisy-type inflorescences; upright, outwardly             spreading and uniformly mounding plant habit; strong and             vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit, primary lateral             branches developing at potentially every node, each primary             lateral with multiple secondary and tertiary branches; dense             and full plant form; pinching is not required.         -   Plant height.—About 32 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 48 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 35 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect:             Upright to curving upright. Texture: Pubescent, minute;             longitudinally ridged. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About             3.6 cm. Width: About 2.8 cm. Shape: Elliptical. Apex:             Cuspidate to mucronate. Base: Truncate. Margin: Palmately             lobed, sinuses between lateral lobes mostly parallel to             slightly divergent. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent, minute; veins prominent on lower surface.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing and fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: More green than 147A;             venation, close to 147B. Developing and fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: More green than 147B; venation, close             to 146A. Petioles: Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; minute. Color,             upper surface: More green than 147A. Color, lower surface:             More green than 147B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Type and arrangement.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with             elongated oblong-shaped ray florets; disc and ray florets             arranged acropetally on a capitulum; inflorescences face             mostly upright and held above and beyond the foliar plane on             strong peduncles.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants             flower about September 14 to 24 in Pennsylvania.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color             and substance for about three to six weeks on the plant             depending on temperatures; inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit with             numerous inflorescences developing per lateral branch.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About             6 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: More green than 147A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.6 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.25 cm. Disc diameter: About 1 cm. Receptacle             diameter: About 5 mm. Receptacle height: About 5 mm.         -   Receptacle color.—Close to 144A.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 32 to 45 ray             florets develop per inflorescence and arranged in two to             three whorls. Length: About 1.6 cm. Width: About 5 mm.             Shape: Elongated oblong. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Attenuate and             then fused into a short tube. Margin: Entire. Orientation:             Initially upright, then horizontal. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; longitudinally ribbed. Color:             When opening, upper surface: Close to 6A; at the base, close             to 144A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 6A to 6B.             Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 6A; at the base, close             to 144A; color does not change with development. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 6B to 6D; color does not             change with development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 32 to 48 fused             disc florets develop per inflorescence and massed at the             center of the capitulum. Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About             1 mm. Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed.             Texture, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             mature: Apex: Close to 12A. Mid-section: Close to 144A.             Base: Close to NN155D.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity and arrangement: About 12 to 18             phyllaries develop per inflorescence and arranged in one to             two whorls. Length: About 6.5 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire;             membraneous. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous.             Texture, lower surface: Pubescent, minute. Color, upper             surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower surface: More green             than 147A.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 4 cm. Length,             third peduncle: About 5.5 cm. Diameter, terminal peduncle:             About 2 mm. Angle: Mostly upright or curving upright.             Strength: Strong, wiry. Texture: Pubescent; minute. Color:             Close to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium (present on disc florets             only): Stamen number: Five per floret. Filament length:             About 4 mm. Filament color: Close to 150D. Anther length:             Less than 1 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther color:             Close to 12A. Pollen amount: None observed. Gynoecium             (present on ray and disc florets): Pistil length: About             6 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 9A.             Style length: About 4.5 mm. Style color: Close to 9A. Ovary             color: Close to 145D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Dendranthema. -   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Dendranthema plants has not been observed on plants of the new     Dendranthema grown under commercial production conditions. -   Garden performance & temperature tolerance: Plants of the new     Dendranthema have demonstrated excellent garden performance, are     hardy to USDA Zone 5 and tolerate high temperatures about 37.8° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Dendranthema plant named ‘Sundance Igloo’ as illustrated and described. 